A recent diary moved me to tears - "Mrs. K, I have nothing to barter." "Mrs. K, I don't have lunch money". I'm sure many of you read it. If you haven't, please do. If you can spare toys, books, etc. please call your local school and see if you can make a donation because it's pretty clear that these kids are in need. My mom is a Principal in Chicago - she's in an area that is already economically damaged, but things have gotten pretty bad the last few months. She's taken to ordering school shirts (with long sleeves) and sweatshirts - to hand out to kids as prizes for attendance and other good behavior. Yesterday, she went to a warehouse sale and spent $1000 of her own money to buy every kid in her school a book. She's worried that most of these kids wouldn't get anything at all for the holidays and she wanted to make sure that they at least had ONE gift.
Another diary that moved me was What About the Dog and Cat? Animals and Foreclosure. If you can make room in your hearts and homes for a new pet, please consider it! If not, even if you could drop off some paper towels, pet food, litter boxes, toys, etc. your shelter would appreciate it.
I'm sure everyone has other ideas for holiday gifts and for where to donate extra money or stuff - please share in the comments.
Or...just talk about whatever you'd like.
Here are your Top Comments:
From flitedocnm:
This comment, by Andhakari, in today's Rec'd Diary, "An Iraqi guy just threw his shoes at Bush" is absolutely the best and funniest comment I've read in a long time, and like PeaceNerd said in the following comment, this should be considered for the dkos Comment Pulitzer.
From DemocraticLuntz:
noweasels on first graders marching while spelling fuck.
HoundDog extended metaphor of JeffLieber's story about his daughter using the term "fuckers".
From MKSinSA:
In a droll yet incredibly pithy response to maxnyc's diary, fedupcitizen offers this insightful observation.
From COkdub:
mudslide with an amusing comment.
From Seneca Doane:
This comment "Referring to Hamilton’s Report is CRUCIAL" by NBBooks -- in Liberal Thinking's excellent diary "Hartmann Eloquently Defends American Workers" -- is the first comment I've ever seen that should simply be taken out of the diary, reformatted as a diary, and immediately front-paged. It's that good. Please read it.
From Elise (me):
jhecht has a good shoe joke.
KateCrashes provides a short history of edscan and his followers (in case you were still wondering "WTF?!").
Angry Mouse on the real McCain - in case you're wondering exactly who he is.
Donna O's diary, Stalking the elusive em dash, had bumblebums thinking the topic was the Kossack emdash.
In search of a good joke? Check out plf515's diary, Some Jokes. Funny stuff in the diary and in the comments!
Tonight's Top Mojo was collected by the fabulous brillig! Give her mojo as thanks!
Top 30 (plus ties) Comments excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first comments, Mojo Friday and C&J:
1) Symbolism of Shoe for Arabs by DHinMI — 213
2) Give him a boot in the ass, then by Dallasdoc — 125
3) Yep. by srkp23 — 99
4) A cloud of dust & a hearty morning Joe! by Patch Adam — 88
5) Actually, I beg to differ by DelicateMonster — 87
6) Thanks for your diary by EJP in Maine — 86
7) I really like him in Baghdad too by wiscmass — 83
8) How unfair! by Dallasdoc — 72
9) Is the Iraqi reporter eligible for a Pulitzer? by Andhakari — 72
10) Referring to Hamilton s Report is CRUCIAL by NBBooks — 70
11) Somebody On The Video Just Said: by leonard145b — 69
12) You have to insult Bush with the tools you have by CTMET — 66
13) Let's wait and see if they carved a B by eshafto — 65
14) This one is going viral.... by STOP George — 62
15) And this is great news for dems. by amk for obama — 62
16) As funny as this is by beltane — 62
17) My thoughts exactly! by Shaking the Tree — 61
18) Bush looking into the sole of an Iraqi? by mudslide — 58
19) Corker has emerged as a GOP rising star by RFK Lives — 58
20) He can't please everyone by exlrrp — 57
21) This is the first time bush set foot off-base by bleeding blue — 55
22) So, does this mean by flitedocnm — 55
23) A cowboy boot? by srkp23 — 54
24) Think back on Republic Window & Door by Dallasdoc — 53
25) When will Auto worker's shoes by RandomGuyFromGermany — 53
26) For too long in this country... by ARS — 51
27) Guess the guy was all out of flowers. by Orange County Liberal — 51
28) my mom was right by terrypinder — 50
29) that wasn't a shoe, you silly liberal, by bwren — 48
30) Depends if he threw the left or right show first. by Rich N Mdriems — 48
31) Thanks for spotlighting Hartmann by Dallasdoc — 48
32) The bottom line is by SocioSam — 48
Top 30 (plus ties) Comments with no exclusions:
1) Heinlein tip jar by Lupin — 470
2) The legacy team is right on it by bumblebums — 347
3) Penny for your thoughts: by Public D — 235
4) Tip jar n/t by Kula2316 — 224
5) Symbolism of Shoe for Arabs by DHinMI — 213
6) Tips / Mojo: 14 Dec 08 by A Siegel — 199
7) First Time by Liberal Thinking — 196
8) Will work for tips and/or recommends... by dkmich — 180
9) Tip Jar by Trix — 165
10) And a merry extended interregnum to all! by JeffLieber — 132
11) Give him a boot in the ass, then by Dallasdoc — 125
12) Yes To Grijalva by tlemon — 120
13) Yep. by srkp23 — 99
14) tip jar? by zigeunerweisen — 95
15) Tip Jar? Memories? Other troll moments from 08? by csquared — 91
16) A cloud of dust & a hearty morning Joe! by Patch Adam — 88
17) Actually, I beg to differ by DelicateMonster — 87
18) Thanks for your diary by EJP in Maine — 86
19) Thom was wonderful! by The 1n Only Leoni — 83
20) I really like him in Baghdad too by wiscmass — 83
21) People often do ask why I blog about education by teacherken — 74
22) How unfair! by Dallasdoc — 72
23) Is the Iraqi reporter eligible for a Pulitzer? by Andhakari — 72
24) Referring to Hamilton s Report is CRUCIAL by NBBooks — 70
25) A thanks, and a couple of requests by Black Leather Rain — 70
26) Somebody On The Video Just Said: by leonard145b — 69
27) You have to insult Bush with the tools you have by CTMET — 66
28) Gratuities here n/t by RepackRider — 66
29) Let's wait and see if they carved a B by eshafto — 65
30) This one is going viral.... by STOP George — 62
31) And this is great news for dems. by amk for obama — 62
32) As funny as this is by beltane — 62